Inflatable valve member



Nov. 3, 1959 J. D. LANGDON INFLATABLE VALVE MEMBER Filed March 2, 1954FIG 2 INVENTOR United States Patem 2 911135 INFLATABLE VALVE. MEIWBER.Iesse D:Langdqn, LongfBeach, Calif. ApplicationlMarchsi1954,1SeriaLN0.413,507

.6 Claims. (Cl. 251-1175) invention pertains to valve 'members adaptedto control the passage .of pressure ..fluid .thru a tubular :conduit. 1

The primary purpose of :thisinvention is to provide a hollow inflatablevalve member for interrupting the flow :of pressure fluid thru 'atubularconduit, the valve .member adapted to be expanded by fluidpressure from within the conduit according .to the proximity of thevalve member to an annular seat formed by the outer terminus of thesurrounding'tubular wall ofthe conduit and providing a single valvemember capable of being expanded due-to the'effectsnofa velocity head of.fiuid entering the .hollow valve member prior to seating to closepassages of various diameters.

.Another object is to-provide an 'inflatablehollow valve .memberregistering with the inlet opening of a fluid pressure control valve,the valve member adapted to beseated against the surrounding Wall-of theinlet passage of the control valve by manual adjustment and fluidpressure entering :into a hollow chamber provided for the valve member.

-A still further object is to provide an inflatablecontrol v valveprovided"-with a reinforcing cap closing the outer terminal end of andsuspending the valve within a fluid pressure pipe line said valveadapted tobeexpanded lby internaltpressure. entering thru an orificecommunicating with a chamber in the valve member and the pressure sideof the pipe line.

Other and further objects and purposes will appear during the progressof the specification as illustrated by the drawings which are purelydiagrammatic and used only forthepurpose'ofillustrating threespecies ofreduction to practice which may be changed within the scopeof theclaims:

Of the -drawingi Fig .Lis an elevation in median section showing .onespecies .ofcombination with essential ,portionsofa lCOH- --trol .valvemechanism particularly adaptable gto' bib or faucet washers. Fig. .2.is'a median section of a second species lpipetline.

the invention having the capacityof double seating'ra'gainst both theend and'the internal wall of a valve "inlet.

The preferred species of "the inv ention consists of the reduction topractice shown by generic Big. 1. This gformi of valve member is=adaptedfor use with :a controlled valve body or casing having-an 111161118 {andan outlet not shown, a hollow valve member 1 made of rubber-likematerial secured to a valve stem 2 having a bottom tapped bore B2 withvalve attaching means inserted therein and formed by set-screw 3 orother suitable pin or pivot means securing the memberl in operativeposition, reinforcing means 7 made of relatively hard material cappingand disposed transversely of that portion of said member l proximate theflare 2F of stem 2;

of the invention -.-showing a valve member-adapted lto ls'e'a'ti'entirelywithin the inlet passage of a valve or fluid pressure V Fig. 35s amedian section 'showinga third t speci'es of ice passage: 8 terminates.in .a sharpseat .6 adapted. to 'be=contacted by at least a portion ofthe outer wallof valve .memberl, same being actuated manually via.stem.2 or

by the effect of .internal pressure entering chamber 4 .thru bypass .5,the reinforcing means .7 or 17R, one ,or

both ..can be used, being ,of an=extenttogether with a :thickened.portion of the rubber-like member :1 to prevent that portionof .member 1proximate the flared portion of :stem 2F .from being urged beyond theconfines of said seat .6 by internal pressure. 1

The reductionto practice as of Fig. 2 shows member 1A to be bell-shapedas shown by my application Ser. No. 114,418, filed Sept. '7, 1949, No.2,675,825 granted .April '20, 1954 wherein the bell-shaped member4.forms .a check-valve. Any of the instant application adaptationsof thebell-shaped member, 1 of-Fig. '1, 1A of Fig.

.2, or 1B of Fig. .3 may be adapted for .use as a valve member or pipeline closure element, all speciesfshown belong to the same genericcategory as instant Fig. 1 all showingreinforcement equivalentto 7 or7R.

In operation the .several species of inflatable valve :member areshownto be capable of being inflated and expanded byfluid exerting internalpressure passing either into chamber 4 viabypass .5,- chamber 4A viaopen end 5A or chamber 4B via bypass or opening 5B as of Figs.

1, .2,=and '3 respectively, causes deformation of the wall of anyform ofmember shown to be within the confines of reinforcement 7, 7A or 713 toexpand againstthe surroundingseat 6 or the Wall-of passage 8 as the-casemay .be. The extent of wall A1 of the flexible member 1A below the rimof the reinforcement 7A can be varied, as can the diameter ofreinforcement 7A according to the pressure conditions to which'theinflatable member isto be adapted. It must-be borne in mind that'any'form of kreinforcement must be of sufficient diameter to .prevent .the.ru'bber-like wall of the inflatable member from bypassingbetween theouter periphery of the reinforcement and any seat formed by the wall ofthe passages.

The reduction to practice as of Fig. 3 shows a globe- .shaped hollowinflatable member 1B with a relatively small'bypass formed by theopening 513.

By making bypass opening 5B small enough, delayed .expansionof themember 1B can be achieved, as is also the case when using .the forms ofvalve member .1 of

Fig. l.or.1B of :Fig. .3.

QThemem'ber 1B of Fig. '3 can be arranged to be ,en-

I vtirely withdrawn from inlet 8 to open same; or if desired,

to icut down the liqu'idfflow and consequently the pressure .in a valveor .pipe .line beyond reinforcement 73, the .member .lBmaybe set to.remain in passage 8 and will be expanded .or contracted according tothe space existing between .the reinforcement 7B ,andthe proximate endof the waiter passages. Thus it will be seen' that among other things,the instant invention may be used for pressure adjustment byinterrupting the expansable member between the inlet and outlet ends ofa pressure fluid pipe line.

in order to control the pressure fluid volume passing thru a pipe line,it is advised that the species of valve member preferred for thispurpose should be one of the forms shown as l of Fig. l and 1B of Fig.3.

It is anticipated that the form shown by Figs. 1 and 3 in particular maybe suspended in a pipe line by a spider or partition having bypassopenings therethru, thereby providing an automatic pressure adjustingvalve for interrupting pressure fluid passage thru a pipe line. Inmaking use of the invention as' a pressure adjusting valve the bypass ofFig. 1 or 5B of Fig. 3 communicating with chambers 4 or 43 should be ofsuit-able diameter according to the size of a valve or outlet openingbeyond the inflatable valve member.

The reinforcement bead B may be applied around the openings 5, 5A or 5BFigs. 1, 2 and 3 respectively to restrict the expansion of the valvemember opening facing the inlet end or side of the pipe line.

Having described the invention and the operation thereof, the followingclaims are made:

1. A combination including an inflatable valve member insertable intoand adapted to seat against an annular seat formed by the outer terminalend of a pressure fluid inflow supply conduit, the valve membercomprising a hollow body provided with a substantially thin wall made ofdeformable material capable of bulging under internal pressure andreturning to shape, a chamber formed by the hollow of said valve memberhaving one end provided with an unimpeded opening facing toward theinflow conduit passage said valve member being provided withreinforcement means standing substantially transversely of a portion ofthe valve wall that is exposed outwardly of the inflow conduit andforming a rigid area backing that portion of the valve wall that isopposite the inflow side, said reinforcement means securing the valvetogether with adjustable manual operating means holding said valvemember juxtapositioned and registering with the terminal end of saidannular valve seat; said valve member being secured to an actuating stemfor imparting reciprocal movement for said valve from without to withinsaid annular seat, said valve resting in open position clearing theproximate end of said inflow conduit forming said annular seat, saidunimpeded opening communicating between the chamber" of said valve andthe conduit passage, the valve hollow exposed to the effects of avelocity head of pressure fluid emanating from said conduit effectivedirectly against and internally of the deformable wall of said valve,whereby fluid pressure contained within said conduit prevails within thehollow of said valve in accordance with the proximity of and prior tothe seating of said valve against said annular seat, thereby urging thewall of said hollow body to seat against said annular seat, the valvediameter being changed concomitant the fluid pressure and flow volumevia said conduit.

2. A device as defined by claim 1 wherein the inflatable valve member isglobular in form and provided with a restricted opening forming a bypasscommunicating between the hollow of the valve and the inflow side of theconduit passageway, said passage being reinforced to resist enlargementby incoming fluid pressure entering the chamber of the valve member.

3. A valve device as defined by claim 1; wherein the valve member isglobular in form, a relatively. small unimpeded opening facing theinflow conduit is restricted, an unsupported wall portion of said valvemember made of deformable elastic material, said valve member adapted toseat against the proximate end of the conduit passage, said valve memberbeing free to expand and seat against the inner wall portion of theconduit in accordance with pressure confined within said conduit and thehollow of said valve member.

4. A valve device as defined by claim 1, wherein the valve member isprovided with a seating portion proximate the inside conduit passagewall and constituting the boundary of the unimpeded opening exposed tothe effects of pressure fluid inflow, thru said conduit passage, saidseating portion being formed by the outer peripheral edge of the hollowvalve member.

5. An inflatable valve of the nature defined by claim 1; wherein thehollow inflatable valve member includes a substantially globular bodymade of deformable material having an unobstructed end opening formed bya relatively small bypass facing the inflow end of the conduit passageand communicating between the passage of said conduit and the valvehollow, said bypass providing constant communication with an inflowstream of pressure fluid emanating from said conduit, whereby when thevalve is moved to closed position, pressure fluid entering the hollowthrough said bypass will urge the wall of the globular body radiallyoutward and toward a valve seat formed by the inner annular wall of theinlet passage, said valve member being provided a rigid reinforcement onthat side that is opposite said bypass to hold the valve member inclosed position.

6. A combination including an inflatable valve member insertable intoand adapted to seat against an annular seat formed by the outer terminalend of a pressure fluid inflow supply conduit, the valve membercomprising a hollow body providedwith a substantially thin wall made ofdeformable material capable of bulging under internal pressure andreturning to shape, a chamber formed by the hollow of said valve memberhaving one end provided with an unimpeded opening facing toward theinflow conduit passage said valve member being provided withreinforcement means standing substantially transversely of a portion ofthe valve wall that is exposed outwardly of the inflow conduit andforming a rigid area backing that portion of the valve wall that isopposite the inflow side, said reinforcement means securing the valvetogether with adjustable-manual operating means holding said valvemember juxtapositioned and'registering with the terminal end of saidannular valve seat; said inflatable valve member being globular in form,said unimpeded opening forming a relatively small bypass communicatingbetween the hollow of the valve and the inflow side of the conduitpassageway, said unimpeded opening being reinforced to resistenlargement by incoming fluid pressure entering the chamber of the valvemember.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,506,418 Evensta Aug. 26, 1924 1,606,206 Boynton Nov. 9, 1926 2,059,687Gagg Nov. 3, 1936 2,081,132 Barnes May 25, 1937 2,088,666 Portl Aug. 3,1937 2,202,123 Strode May 28, 1940 2,282,987 Bennett May 12,19422,284,051 Gilbert May 26, 1942 2,329,960 Verheul Sept. .21, 19432,523,864 Delaney Sept. 26, 1950 2,536,431 Endsley 'Ian. 2, 19512,727,471 Martin Dec.120, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 11,694 Great Britain Apr.18, 1896 12,334 Great Britain June 22, 1895 184,911 Great Britain Aug.31, 1922

